Mycobiology 36(3) : 190-192 (2008)

© The Korean Society of Mycology

190

First Report of Heterodermia squamulosa (Lichenized Ascomycota, Physciaceae)in South Korea

Xin Yu Wang1

, Hyun Hur2

, You Mi Lee3

, Young Jin Koh1

and Jae-Seoun Hur1

*

1

Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Sunchon 540-742, Korea2

Department of Biology, Dongguk University, Seoul 100-715, Korea3

Division of Specimen and Genetic Resources, Korea National Arboretum 487-821, Korea

(Received August 18, 2008. Accepted September 12, 2008)

Heterodermia squamulosa (Degel.) W.L. Culb. was found in the mountain of Gariwang, Gangwon province, in 2008. It is

characterized by numerous squamules along the margin, decorticate and white lower surface, rhizines along the margin,

black and densely squarrosely branched, usually forming a dense mat under the thallus. Apothecia margins densely squa-

mulose, ascospores 12~15 × 25~30 µm. Atranorin and zeorin contained in thallus. This is the first record of this species in

South Korea.

KEYWORDS : Foliose lichen, Korea, Lichen-forming fungus, New record

The genus Heterodermia Trev. belongs to the lichenized

ascomycete family Physciaceae Zahl., and is mainly char-

acterized by the linear habitat of the thallus and Pachyspo-

raria- or Polyblastidia-type spores (Poelt, 1965; Brodo et

al., 2001). Heterodermia was included in Anaptychia

Körb (Kurokawa, 1962) until the former was separated in

1965 based on the characteristics of thick walled spores

and the presence of atranorin (Poelt, 1965; Swinscow and

Krog, 1976). According to the most recent checklist of

Korean lichens (Hur et al., 2005), there are 20 species of

Heterodermia recorded in the Korean peninsula. This is

the first record of this species in South Korea.

The specimens for this study were deposited in the

Korean Lichen Research Institute (KoLRI) in Sunchon

National University. The phenotypic characteristics were

based on air-dried material. Morphological characteristics

were observed using the dissecting microscope (Nikon

SMZ 1500), and anatomy was examined using the com-

pound microscope (Olympus BX 50). Lichen substances

were detected by color reagents and thin-layer chromatog-

raphy (Culberson, 1972; White and James, 1985).

Heterodermia squamulosa (Degel.) W.L. Culb. (1967).

(Figs. 1A~1E).

Morphology. Thallus foliose, grayish white when dried,

greenish when wet, 6~10 cm in diameter, laciniate;

laciniae dichotomously or subirregularly branched, about

0.5~1.5 mm wide, with numerous squamules along the

margin, sometimes also on the upper surface, lower sur-

face of the squamulse decorticate, with the same color

of the thallus; lower surface of the thallus decorticate

and white. Rhizines along the margin, black and

densely squarrosely branched, 1~1.5 mm long, usually

forming a dense mat under the thallus. Apothecia lami-

nal and sessile, dark reddish brown, 1~4 mm in diame-

ter, margins densely squamulose; hymenium 140~150

µm thick; ascospores dark brown, two cells, 12~15 ×

25~30 µm.

Chemistry. Cortex and medulla K+ yellow, P-. C-, KC-;

containing atranorin and zeorin.

Distribution. This species mostly occurs in the woods

and on rocks. It has previously been reported in Malaysia

(Sipman, 1993), but not in South Korea.

Specimens examined. The sample location was Mt Gari-

wang (37o

24'05.0" N, 128o

32'39.5" E), on moss rock. Hur

080032, May 10, 2008.

Remarks. This species is very similar to H. hypoleuca,

could be easily distinguished by the presence of the mar-

ginal squamules. It has another closely related species H.

microphylla (Kurokawa, 1962). The latter contains sore-

dia or granules among the squamules, and the spores,

which measure about 10~20 µm, are smaller than those of

H. squamulosa.

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by a grant from Korea National

Research Resource Center Program (Grant R21-2007-000-

10033-0), and Korean Forest Service Program (KNA

2008) through Korea National Arboretum.

References

Brodo, I. M., Sharnoff, D. S. and Sharnoff, S. 2001. Lichens of*Corresponding author <E-mail : jshur1@sunchon.ac.kr>

Heterodermia squamulosa in Korea 191

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Fig. 1. Appearance of Heterodermia squamulosa. A, upper surface of the thallus; B, lobes with dense squamules on the margin; C,

anatomical structure of the apothecia, showing ascus and ascospores; D, dark brown ascospore; E, rhizines that are

squarrosely branched and which forming a dense mat in the lower surface.

192 Wang et al.

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